Adama Paris and Kibonen NY: African designers reshaping global fashion

Adama Paris

Adama Ndiaye is the designer who is responsible for launching and running the brand, Adama Paris. Adama is Senegalese by origin. Her association with Zaire Kinshassa is reflected in her work as she has been able to integrate multiculturalism and a number of different techniques in her dress designing. Her unique work is rather appreciated and most of the times, she is recognized as the multicultural dress designer of the new millennium. Her childhood was spent in a number of international cities and multi-ethnic societies and due to her experience of living in different cultures and among people with different modes of fashion, she has been able to materialize those cultures in her versatile dresses. Her brand embodies urban fashion as a great influencer as she has lived in several cities during her course of life including Los Angeles and Paris. It would not be incorrect to state that it is not just a way of dressing that Adama Paris reflects. It also is a mirror to the essence and character of the woman states in the modern times. At Adama Paris, the other cultures (African, in particular) are open to every single woman who simply turns down submission to a reductive image that is mostly typified by a single culture or brand. In her own words, the designer reveals that "Adama Paris was born from my desire to share my passion for fashion as well as fulfilling my will for displaying diversity" (as qtd. In Meisel, 2011). It is also important to mention here that a number of fashion events have been founded and produced by the mentioned designer. These events include Afrika Fashion Awards (popularly known as Trophies of the African Fashion), Black Fashion Week and Dakar Fashion Week.

Kibonen NY

In early years, Kibonen Nfi worked as a co-designer and dress stylist for the inventive and pioneering clothing line KiRette Couture. However, in the modern present times in which the fashion has become an integral part of almost every contemporary society, Kibonen has rose above and established the brand as a force that has challenged every other clothing line in the world of fashion. Kibonen has been successful in introducing fashion that is inherent to New York as Kibonen New York and chose the place as it is the recognized as the fashion capital in the world. Kibonen New York is now renowned for creating a line of clothes that is entirely sensual. Kibonen NY has designed all its clothes by taking inspiration from the conventional Cameroonian attire, African textile and materials and the vivacious and effervescent fashion scene of New York. KNY surfaced with the ground-breaking and original initiative of recreating Toghu in a more contemporary manner. Toghu was chosen as it is one of the most fragile and complex hand-embroidered traditional garments. Kibonen New York is now renowned for creating a line of clothes that is entirely sensual. It also creates accessories and footwear for the fashion lovers to fit their up-to-the-minute trendy way of life. Thus, Kibonen New York can be considered both a lifestyle and ethical brand that is making use of the fashion business for helping Cameroonians get job opportunities in the fashion industry. Kibonen NY is unique in the sense that the North West Region's rich culture has been freshly fused here with New York's inspired contemporary styles, fabrics and trends ("Kibonen|NY Organizes Fashion Day-Bamenda," 2013).

Adele Dejak

Adele Dejak started designing clothes as a typographic designer in England and Italy. In 2005, she moved to Nairobi, Kenya and started to focus on designing accessories. The natural beauty of horn inspired Adele to such an extent that she started to try out creation techniques involving unique shapes' formation. This experimentation resulted in the creation of fashioned pieces. Her stylishness, elegance and flamboyance were recognized and soon she established a shop where unique shapes were created for wearing purposes. Being a Nigerian by spirit, Dejak admiringly amalgamated the Nigerian styling sense with European style and got started on her inexhaustible mission for the vital objet d'art creating wonderful pieces that reflect soul. Her brand, also known as Adele Dejak, has been creating handmade fashion accessories for the contemporary, stylish and urbane woman of the recent times. The accessories reflect their inspiration from Africa and the work done by the designer on the clothes are a perfect reflection of the African traditional techniques. The best thing is that the pieces also symbolize the soaring fashion statement designs. The collections at Adele Dejak are the true expression of heightened and sensitive admiration for the fabrics that are made in African land. The most distinctive materials used at Adele Dejak are Kuba cloth and kitenge (wax print). The designer also uses recycled materials for creating unique accessories. If truth be told, one gets exceptional quality at Adele Dejak where only the best materials are employed for producing unique pieces. Adele Dejak is the exact place where different styles and substance are united that invites people to own their style in an unapologetic manner.

Jeffrey Kimathi

The owner of Jamhuri, Jeffrey Kimathi, emerged in the fashion scene in 2003 and since then he has proven himself as a distinguished designer of t-shirts, hoodies and accessories. His fame can be understood by the fact that celebrities like Jay-Z and Akon who have deep admiration for his determined work and are seen to wear Jamhuri at several occassions. His fashion sense is admired by every age group and people love to incorporate Kimathi's style in their clothing. It is amazing that Kimathi has got no fashion design background. He adopted it as a hobby and worked in MTV and Ecko Unlimited as a stylist in the start of his career. He has been inspired by New York tremendously and his work reflects this inspiration. Kimathi has brought a sense of realism in his clothing line by incorporating African-influenced fashion sense. Jamhuri has a boldness that is not found in most of other brands and the originality of work also gives it uniqueness.